Chocolate makers stoke boom for Indian cocoa beans

India’s production of cocoa beans has risen significantly. This year it hit 110,000 tonnes, up 40% from 2015. But it’s still not enough to meet demand from local chocolate and confectionary makers.

India’s Cocoa Board estimates the demand from industry is rising at 15% per year.

Founded in 2019, Kocoatrait is one of a new generation of Indian chocolate makers.

Based in the east coast city of Chennai, the company only uses Indian cocoa beans.

One reason for that is that locally sourced beans have a much smaller carbon footprint than beans that have been shipped from another continent.

In addition, says Kocoatrait founder Nitin Chordia, Indian beans are cheaper than imports and have a distinctive flavour.

Mr Chordia also runs an agricultural school, where farmers are shown the latest innovations in fermenting and drying beans.

“We are constantly focussing on improving the post-harvest practices for cocoa farmers in India,” he says.

He adds that Indian farmers need to be producing higher quality beans.

“We are not able to compete with international players in the bulk cocoa bean segment,” he says.

While there has been improvement, Indian producers have some way to go.

“Over the last decade, in the fine-flavour cocoa bean segment, India has started to get noticed… but it will be several years before all Indian fine flavour cocoa beans reach a stage of large-scale international recognition.”